On June 24, the Border Guard Command of Tay Ninh Province reported that they are working with the police to investigate and clarify the origin of 18kg of gold bars found abandoned near the Vietnam-Cambodia border in Tay Ninh.

The incident occurred on June 15 during a joint patrol by officers from the Vam Trang Trau Border Post and Tay Ninh Provincial Police. While monitoring a trail along the border in Bien Gioi commune, Chau Thanh district, officers spotted two suspicious individuals approaching from Cambodia, attempting to enter Vietnam illegally.

Upon seeing the authorities, the suspects dropped a bag and fled back toward the Cambodian side.

Inside the bag, authorities found 18 gold-colored metal bars, each measuring approximately 11.5 x 5.1 cm. The bars had no markings and weighed a total of 18kg. Authorities suspected the bars were smuggled gold.

A forensic analysis conducted by the Ministry of Public Security’s Forensic Science Institute confirmed that the bars were 99.99% pure gold (Au), containing 0.01% silver as an impurity.

According to the asset valuation council of Chau Thanh district, the gold is worth approximately 51.4 billion VND (about 2.02 million USD).

N. Huyen